Heat engine



J. B. ENTZ HEAT ENGINE Dep. 31, 1940.

Filed Oct. 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5 R Y o w m /m wz um mrmA N EY B.m, 5.?7 m l U JM E Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlCE 10Claims.

The present invention relates to heat engines of the type employing airor other fluid as the operating medium and comprises a novel engine ofthis type which is eiiicient and yet simple of construction. Unlike hotair engines heretofore devised the new engine employs no reciprocatingprime mover and requires no transference ofV having vanes which togetherwith the walls of the container provide a plurality of pockets orchambers for the air within the container. Temperature diierences aremaintained across each container causing air to W from heated pockets tocooler pockets. These currents flowing through the turbine blades inopposite direction provide the motive power for the wheel-like member.

For a betterunderstanding of the invention reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings of which:

Fig. 1 `is a side view of the new heat engine showing three unitsconnected together;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the engine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through one of the units of Figs.1 and 2 taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 with partsbroken away to show the fixed blades;

Fig. 4a is a circular sectional view through the turbine blades takenalong the radius lll-4a of Fig. 3;

Fig. 4b is a view similar to Fig. 4a but showing the fixed blades inclosed position;

Fig. 5 is a side view of one of the units showing the outside wallconstruction; A

Fig. 6 is a development corresponding to a section taken along theradius 6-6 of Fig. 3 with parts broken away and with arrows indicatingthe direction of fluid flow;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 'I--1 of Fig.6; and I Fig. 81s an enlarged sectional View taken along the line 8--8of Fig. 7.

(orso-24) Each unit of the three-element heat engine shown in Figs. 1and 2 includes a xed cylindrical casing 2 provided with fins I and la onits external surfaces. These fins l and la, as shown in Fig. 5, extendvertically from the lower part 5 of the casing, then circularly alongthe central part andagain vertically at the upper part` of the casing toafford directing channels for heating and coolingstreams. Fins 4 arecontinuously heated and fins 4a are continuously cooled. For example, inthe embodiment of the invention illustrated, fins 4 of each casing 2 areheated by gas burners 6 and fins 4a are cooled by air issuing from aduct 8; the heating and cooling being arranged, as shown best in Figs.2, 3 and 6, so that opposite areas of each casing 2, and also oppositehalves of each side of each casing are at different temperatures. Thepurpose of this arrangement will be explained in connection with thelater description of the moving element of each unit of the engine.

Each casing 2 carries a series of radially reentrant turbine blades I0which are split along their length. At two positions about the peripheryof the casing, blades I0 are omitted and imperforate sections Illa andIb substituted therefor. The sections -IIJa and IIlb and blades IIl areall carried on a split ring I3 the halves of which relatively to eachother and movement of the o* knob I5 circumferentiallyin a slot IBa (seeFigs. 7 and 8) moves the split ring as a whole to shift the location ofsections laand Illb.

The annulus comprising the blades Il!` and imperforate'sections Illa andIIlb is positioned be- 5 tween two sets of moving blades I2, thecurvature of which is opposite to that of blades I0. Blades I2 arecarried by a. wheel-like member I4 which is rigidly mounted on the shaftI6 to be driven. Member` Il is provided on each side with a plurality ofradial vanes I8 and a pair of circular vanes 20 which together with theWalls of casing 2 define a plurality of pairs of pockets or chambers 22aand 22h. The chambers 22a and 22h of each pair are in communicationthrough the 58 passages of the blades I and l2. Air or other operatingfluid, preferably under pressure is supplied to the chambers 22a and 22hin any suitable manner. For example, it may be admitted through thecasing wall at any point while the shaft is rotatedto bring each chamberin turn into position to receive the iiuid.

From the above description and from the prior description of the heatingand cooling arrangement of ilus 4 and da, it will be noted that the uidin one chamber of each pair is always subjected to a differenttemperature than is the iiuid in the other chamber of that pair. Thus inthe position of member i4 shown in Figs. 3 and 6 fluid in chamber 22a inthe upper half of each figure will be heated by the heated streamiiowing between fins l while uid. in chamber 2th of that pair is cooledby the cooling stream ow-` ing along i'lns do. The reverse eect isobtained at the lower half of Figs. 3 and 6, iiuid in chamber 22a beingcooled and that in chamber 22h being heated. If blades l@ are closed,pressure will then build up in one chamber of each pair and decrease inthe other chamber of each pair. Opening of blades l@ permits ilow ofiluid between the chambers to equalize the pressures, which flow.irrespective of the direction, gives like rotative thrusts upon theturbine blades it tending to rotate member lli and shaft ib. Withrotation of member it, chambers to which. uid has been flowing, that isones in which the huid was cooled, pass into the heated zone and con-Aversely those chambers in which the fluid has been heated pass into thecooled zone; Reversal of the iiuid dow then takes place with continuedthrust upon the blades. Thus there will be a continual dow of fluid backand forth between each pair of chambers; uid iiowing in one directionbetween some pairs of chambers and simultaneously in the oppositedirection between other pairs of chambers; member it always rotating inone direction. The rate of rotation of rmember it may be controlled byturning knob lb to vary the turbine passages.

The direction of' the iow of fluid between the chambers of each pair isindicated by arrows 23 in Fig. 6. During operation there will also be acirculation of the iiuid within 'each chamber because of the relativemovement of the walls of the chamber occurring during rotation of memberid. 'Ihis circulation within each chamber, indicated by arrows 25 inFig. 6 insures that the iluid will rapidly assume the temperature of theadjacent casing wall. During operation of the engine the pressure in onechamber of each pair gradually drops to a minimum while simultaneouslythe pressure in the companion chamber of that pair is building up fromthe minimum to the maximum. At some time, therefore, the pressures inthe two chambers of each pair will be equal, and this equalization orpressure will occur shortly after the chambers pass from a heated zoneto a cooled zone and vice versa. The solid sections ita and ib arelocated as shown in Fig. 6 at substantially lthe positions where suchequalization of pressure will occur. They insure a more rapid buildingup of pressure in the newly heated chambers and a more rapid cooling andconsequent reduction in pressure of the i'iuid in the newly cooledchambers.

As the exact position at which pressure equalization occurs will varywith the speed, the position of the sections Illa and I0b is. madeadjustable as heretofore indicated.

Preferably the heated and cooled areas of the K casings are insulatedfrom each other. For example, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5, each casingis made of i'our sections, two on each side. The two sides are separatedby an linsulating ring 24 and the two halves of each side by aninsulating strip 26.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated each iluidchamber is connected through the turbine passage with but one otherchamber, that opposite thereto, and hence the chambers have beendescribed as arranged in pairs. Such arrangement is not. of course,necessary, as the engine depends for its operation only upon the iiow offluid back and forth through the blades from one side of the rotatingmember to the other. Hence if the radial vanes on one side were notaligned with those on the other side, the operation would be the'samealthough the chambers would not be strictly in pairs. It is onlyessential-that i'luid in chambers on one side of .20 the rotating membercan ow through the blades to chambers on the other side oi' the memberand that heated and cooled zones be so distributed that fluid inopposite chambers is always subjected to dierent temperatures and,during rotation, undergoes opposite temperature cycles..

The invention has now been described in connction with one embodimentthereof. The particular engine illustrated comprises a battery of threeunits in each of which the rptating member carries twelve pairs ofchambers and in each of which one set of fixed turbine blades ispositioned between sets of rotating blades. Obviously, the number ofunits employed as well as the number oi chambers of each unit and thenumber oi sets oi fixed and movable turbine blades of each could bevaried according to the space available for occupancy, power to begenerated and the desired initial cost of construction. Also the numberoi heated and cooled zones of each unit could be varied as desired.Various other changes in design or construction could be made andvarious auxiliary means added without departing from the spirit of theinvention. For example, in most, if not all, cases it is advisable toprovide some sui-table auxiliary means for starting rotation of theshaft. Such means have not been illustratedas forming no part of thepresent invention and as being well known in the art.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the inventioncomprises an engine in each unit of which there is but one movingpartthe member tlwhich rotates and requires no wasteful reciproca-torymotion. It will also be apparent that the new engine utilizes the heatedfluid substantially at the point or' heating and also that no extendedareas have to be alternately heated and cooled; heating and coolingbeing effected over fixed areas. The engine is characterized by extremequietness and eiiiciency.

I cial-m:

1. In a heat engine, a plurality of xed areas maintained at dierenttemperatures, a rotatable member carrying a plurality of chambers havingfluid therein in contact with said areas, the chambers ln contact with axed area of one temperature being oppositely disposed to chambers incontact with the xed area of another temperature and turbine `passagesconnecting opposite chambers for passage of uid therethrough forrotation of said member, said xed areas being so distributed as tosuccessively expose the fluid in each chamber :to diii'erenttemperatures upon rotation of said member.

2. The combination according to claim 1 in- 75 cluding means for varyingthe cross sectional area of said turbine passages whereby the speed ofrotation of said member may be controlled.

3. In a heat engine, a fixed casing, a rotatable member therein providedwith a plurality of oppositely disposed pockets for fluid, the fluid insaid pockets being in contact with the side walls of said casing, saidrotatable member and casing carrying cooperating turbine bladesproviding fluid passages between oppositely disposed pockets, means formaintaining opposite sections of the side walls of said casing atdiierent temperatures and adjacent sections of each side wall of saidcasing at different temperatures whereby fluid passes back and forththrough said passages to rotate said member and fluid in oppositepockets is always subjected to diiferent temperatures and undergoesopposite temperature cycles during rotation of said member.

4. In a heat engine the combination comprising a shaft to be driven, adriving member therefor mounted. on said shaft and carrying sets ofspaced turbine blades, a ixed casing enclosing said member and providedwith reentrant turbine blades positioned between the sets of said firstmentioned blades, said casing having xed areas maintained at differenttemperatures, said driving member carrying oppositely disposed chambersfor fluid interconnected through said blades, whereby when the fluid inopposite chambers is subjected to a difference in temperature by contactwith said fixed areas the now of fluid through said blades gives arotative thrust to said driving member.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said reentrant turbineblades include a movable section and wherein means are provided formoving said section to vary the size of the passages through the blades.

6. In la heatengine, the combination comprising a cylindrical xedcasing, a reentrant annulus carried thereby, a rotatable wheel-likemember within said casing having oppositely disposed areas of each sideof said casing and opposite areas of said sides at differenttemperatures, whereby flow of fluid back and forth from one chamber toanother chamber through the turbine blades rotates said wheel-likememberfsaid imperforate segments-of said annulus being so located'thatopposite chambers after entering a vzone of different temperature passone of said segments whereby fluid ow between such chambers istemporarily prevented.

'7. The combination according to claim 6 in# cludin'g means for rotatingsaid -annulus relative to said casing to-shift the location of saidimperforate sections.

8. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said annulus, includingsaid turbine bladesY and imperforate segments, is divided in two halvesand means are provided for shifting one half of said annulus relative tothe other half to control the cross-sectional area of said turbinepassages and to thereby control the speed of rotation of said wheel-likemember.

9. In a heat engine, a shaft to be driven, a plurality of drivingmembers secured to said shaft, fixed casings enclosing said drivingmembers and provided with radially reentrant turbine blades, sets ofturbine blades carried by each driving member for cooperation with saidfixed blades, vanes on said driving members which togther with saidcasing provide oppositely disposed chambers for fluid interconnectedthrough the passages of the cooperating blades and means for maintaininga temperature diierence across opposite chambers and for successivelyincreasing and decreasing the temperature of fluid in each chamber uponrotation of said shaft, the passages of said cooperating blades being soformed that fluid flow therethrough in either direction causesunidirectional rotation of the driving member.

10. The heat engine according to claim 9' same casing and adjacent tothe heated half ofl the side of the neighboring casing.

JUSTUS B.- ENIZ.

